Door of Hope Muskegon - Sharing Experience and Strength To Help Build Others

 

We all begin with what we think we know right?  Quite often too what we think we know tends to change over time.  It's a funny thing about aging, and an even funnier thing about how we go from being a "know it all" to being older, wiser and willing to be there with a hand for those we can look back on and want to help avoid making the same mistakes we did.  If not mistakes, at minimum we'd like them to avoid some of the pitfalls we found along the way.  What we're getting at here, wisdom.  Anyone can learn anything from a book, but wisdom comes from those who have gotten out there, lived life for a while, had to stop and pick up the pieces once or twice and still, they look to find ways to get others around those curve balls life throws.  Wisdom leads to humanity and humanity builds us all.  It's what we have to give back to one another and the best part is, sharing it costs nothing.

Lateasa Moore has been there.  She was a mom at an early age, she did some moving around when she was young.  She had to work a little harder, find some direction on her own and didn't always have someone there to say "try this, it might be a better way".  Hey, sometimes the bumpy roads make for incredibly strong people and what they give back to society is unbelievable, but living through it...it's a task.  It's a lot of prayers at night, a lot of seeking a hand from folks, a lot of worry a lot of doubt and a lot of energy just to get by.  Life can sure try to break anyone, but it's in those broken spots that we all find our true strength and in Lateasa's case, she's bringing them back to throw a line to a younger generation that might very well be able to use a hand.  Like anyone, the motivation is to take what's been learned the "hard way" and lessen the blow a little for those who are still learning.

Lateasa and friends are putting on a multi week work shop.  Free of charge, won't cost you a penny and all that's required of you is to show up at Mahali on Peck Street in Muskegon Heights on Saturday mornings for a few weeks beginning on September 5th.  There will be information on things like soft skills in the work place and life.  Breaking generational cycles, emotional readiness, resume building, how to find your unique talents and gifts and more.  Wanda Liddell of Dominion Kingdom Catering will provide a live demo at Kitchen 242 and so much more.  You don't even need to being a pencil, all that's asked is that you register in advance so plans can be made accordingly.

Lateasa and I found a picnic table outside in Roosevelt Park to talk about this great series coming up and to get to know a little more of her story and find out what drives her to do more for others, take a listen.

Imagine if each of us just took the time to help 1 other person avoid some of the stumbling blocks?  Lateasa is out to share what she knows with a younger generation to help them along.  It's a giving heart and a desire to serve that builds community and it takes a little vulnerability and willingness to say, "I made the same mistakes too, here's how to do better".  This is the greatest way we can all give something back.  All the details you need are below, you can click on the image to visit their website. 

The Lakes Community Garden - Extreme Generosity For Muskegon

As I drove off and the line was forming, I overheard "Is there anything someone needs today...anything specific that anyone needs?"  Been that way for years at the corner of Evanston and Mill Iron in Muskegon at the expansive and lush Community Garden that sits just outside the Connection Point Church.  It's not only filled with the bounty of all things Michigan in the Summer, it's all free to anyone who needs it.




The humble beginnings sprang from the idea that Terry Luce had one day.  It seemed there was a seldom used ball field on the church property and he'd tug at the pastor once in a while and say how good a garden would look there.  Well, Terry was in the same boat as many of us have been when it "took root".  He got downsized and went back to the pastor and said.... "Well, I have plenty of time now", and so it began.

Soil got tilled up, seeds were planted and a garden grew.  Not all together out of the ordinary, but the mission behind the garden...that's where things get good.  Those first few seeds were way more than plants.  They were the seeds of an amazing outreach that's been going on ever since.  11 years of providing fresh locally grown veggies for anyone who needs them.  It's simply an extension of their belief in taking care of community, friends and neighbors who might be in need and being able to provide for them in ways that take more time and love than just a cash donation.

Provide?  Do they ever.  Out of the garden hundreds of zucchini's, bushels of beans, peppers of all kinds, cucumbers, squash, broccoli, corn, tomatoes, cantaloupe, cabbage, kale, onions....what was once that desolate ball field is now the plot where anyone can come and find what they need, free of charge beginning at 11a every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday while the picking is good.  There's a magnificent stand where you won't find so much as a donation jar because they don't want anyone there to feel the pressure to match what someone else might have given.  The one thing you won't find?  Your way into the garden itself, unless of course you're one of the volunteers that helps tend it.  The preservation of the garden is best kept to them and their work is to be commended.

It was a second trip for me out to the garden to film the story.  As it turned out last week, I got there to film...and blew it.  Yep.  Plugged the mic into the wrong input on the camera but I found Terry Luce, Church Pastor Aaron Gregory and Rich Mitchell all very forgiving and we talked again about the passion for people and the desire to give grace with no expectation of return through their work.  Take a listen.

Can you imagine a world if we all just put in half of what happens here?   We're always so proud, an so humbled to show the good deeds that go on in Muskegon and our surrounding areas, but it really tugs at the heart strings when those good deeds are done of the sweat and labor of a few for the good of so many.  This is truly what makes Muskegon so incredible...these people represent the greatness that is our story in any time, and especially our times now.  Giant endowments are awesome and all the grants in the world are amazing, but quietly and humbly...the work of giants goes on too without much fanfare and it's truly a gift of the heart.  Our most sincere thanks to the crew at The Lakes Community Garden.